Trent Williams: Pro Bowl nomination evidence of personal growth

Many players say they don’t care about personal honors such as a Pro Bowl nomination.

Not Trent Williams.

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“I set out at the beginning of the year – well, really, since I got drafted – just to be honored as one of the top players in the NFL,” Williams said Wednesday night, “and for that to come true in my third year is truly exciting.”

Williams was one of three Washington Redskins nominated Wednesday to the Pro Bowl, the NFL’s annual all-star game. The Redskins’ left tackle was voted in as a reserve behind starters Russell Okung of Seattle and Joe Staley of San Francisco.

Williams talked openly this season about his desire to be nominated to the Pro Bowl. The goal motivated him, especially considering how his second NFL season ended.

He is a year removed from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

The Pro Bowl announcement, then, validated more than just his evolution on the field.

“It shows how much I’ve grown and how much I’ve learned,” Williams said. “A lot of people make mistakes and keep making them, and just to know that I’ve grown from them and become a better person and ultimately a better player, it’s gratifying.”